


speaker

by shanlyrical



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: M/M, Movie: Star Wars: The Phantom Menace, Politics, Pre-Slash, Ulterior Motives, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-07
Updated: 2019-12-07
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:47:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,098
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21598651
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shanlyrical/pseuds/shanlyrical
Summary: Senator Palpatine attends a meeting with Speaker Mas Amedda and makes a potentially controversial request.
Relationships: Mas Amedda/Sheev Palpatine
Comments: 8
Kudos: 12
Collections: Star Wars Rare Pairs Exchange 2019





	speaker

**Author's Note:**

  * For [KatrinDieSithFrau](https://archiveofourown.org/users/KatrinDieSithFrau/gifts).



The interoffice comm chimes softly. “Speaker, this is to inform you that Senator Palpatine has arrived for his prescheduled appointment.”

“Thank you. Please send him in forthwith,” Mas Amedda says into the comm.

Sheev Palpatine enters the Speaker’s office in an elegant sweep of aurodium brocade and sapphire blue velvet robes tailored in the High Classical Republican style. Mas Amedda, despite his Changrian heritage, has taken to wearing the same immaculate style of robes himself of late, and he has been most pleased by the added deference to his station the robes seem to engender among most races and species.

Mas Amedda rises from his desk chair as Palpatine enters. “Senator Palpatine,” he greets. “A good morning to you. May I offer you some caf?”

Although Changrians lose their sense of taste in adulthood and to Mas Amedda caf is so much heated water which, if consumed in sufficient quantity, gives him an unpleasant headache, he knows that humans and several other near-human species favor the beverage. He therefore makes a point of offering it at the beginning of personal appointments like this one – it helps put people at ease.

Palpatine, though, does not seem inclined to take him up on his offer. “Hmm – what? Ah. No thank you. That is very kind of you to offer.” Palpatine is visibly agitated, his thoughts distracted. “I don’t think caf’s mild stimulant would be good for my heart at the moment, if I’m honest,” he continues. “But if you happened to have any Champala fizzy ale tucked away…”

“You’re in luck,” Mas Amedda says with an amused twitch of his lethorns. He pulls out a small bottle from the bottom drawer of his desk, breaks the seal with a deft flick of his thumb, and hands the bottle to Palpatine.

“Oh goodness! You are too kind.” Palpatine takes a hard swig straight from the bottle and heaves a relieved sigh. Champala fizzy ale acts as a mild depressant, useful for calming anxieties and lowering inhibitions. It would take at least half a standard hour before Mas Amedda would begin to feel any of its effects, but he has no idea how it might be metabolized by a human’s physiology. Given Palpatine’s rather harried, haggard appearance, so different from his usual unruffled aplomb, Mas Amedda finds himself hoping that the effects of the fizzy ale will be beneficial.

“You’ll forgive me, I trust, but I haven’t been sleeping,” Palpatine says by way of explanation. A hint of apology humbles his tone. “The Trade Federation’s blockade of Naboo has been…”

“Terribly stressful, I’m sure,” Mas Amedda says with compassion. There’s much to admire about Senator Sheev Palpatine, and his sincere commitment to his homeworld in these trying times is but one source of Mas Amedda’s admiration.

“To say the least.” Palpatine takes another hard swig of fizzy ale before continuing. “But I’m not here to enumerate my woes to a busy Speaker or take undue advantage of his hospitality…or his personal supply of Champala fizzy ale.” His eyes twinkle with self-deprecating humor. “I am here to submit a petition on behalf of Naboo’s Queen, Her Majesty Padmé Amidala. She is expected to arrive on Coruscant imminently and wishes to address the full Senate.”

“I see,” Mas Amedda says slowly.

Appointment to Senate Speakership has been the greatest honor of Mas Amedda’s life to date, and he takes his Constitutional duties most seriously. The Speaker is given the power to decide who shall be given the floor to speak, when, and for how long. The Speaker also decides which bills, motions, and resolutions shall be entered into consideration, and he has sole authority – upon the advice and consent of at least two-thirds of the Senate – to amend the Constitution of the Galactic Republic. For all of these reasons, the Speaker is expected to be impartial and non-partisan.

So yes. Mas Amedda takes his Constitutional duties most seriously, most seriously indeed.

“I would not normally wish to unduly burden your schedule, but you understand why I wished to submit my petition in private,” Palpatine hastens to add.

Mas Amedda does understand. The Senate has already taken several votes moving to censure the Trade Federation for its illegal blockade, but tut-tutting statements of disapproval mean nothing to an extra-governmental actor with its own private naval fleet and droid army. And Chancellor Finis Valorum has thus far refused to authorize military intervention. “Naboo’s plight, while regrettable, is a local dispute, and the Republic must not become needlessly entangled in local disputes,” he’d said recently to Mas Amedda. “To intervene in this instance would be the first step on the road to endless war.”

“You do not wish to be seen as publicly defying the Chancellor,” Mas Amedda says. He doesn’t mean it as a question.

“He considers me one of his closest allies, and my political loyalties lie with Valorum’s unionist coalition.” Palpatine pauses and takes a third long pull of fizzy ale. He’s finished the whole bottle. “But while Valorum is steadfast in his convictions, and his philosophy of nonintervention may even have some merit, you must understand why, as Naboo’s Senator, I am acting in Naboo’s best interests first.”

“That is only natural,” Mas Amedda agrees. “You are far from the first to take issue with Chancellor Valorum’s leadership in times of crisis.”

Palpatine’s silence speaks volumes.

“Very well. I will allow the queen to address the full Senate. She shall do so from Naboo’s pod.”

A beautiful smile breaks on Palpatine’s face like sunlight over still water. He reaches out, grasps Mas Amedda’s hand, and kisses it fervently on the knuckles. “My sincerest thanks, Speaker,” he murmurs, his lips ghosting over the skin and making Mas Amedda shiver in response.

He can feel himself purpling. He flickers his tongue in an attempt to regain control of the situation. “I will…I will ask my assistant to timetable a forty-five minute address. Will that be sufficient?”

“Yes. Oh yes, more than sufficient. Thank you.” Palpatine has not yet let go of Mas Amedda’s hand. He kisses it again, and Mas Amedda swears he can feel the tiniest touch of Palpatine’s teeth on his flesh. “I owe you a great debt.”

“You owe me nothing. I am the Speaker of the Galactic Senate; I am merely performing my role.” Mas Amedda says. The excuse sounds weak. “But, um, uh…perhaps you would care to join me afterhours sometime? Given your appreciation of Champala fizzy ale…”

Palpatine’s eyes seem to flash with blue lightning. They are bright, so bright. “The pleasure would be all mine.”


End file.
